We have this idea that God in the Torah is different than Yeshua in the New Testament but this is not true. God doesn’t change and neither does human nature. God has the same toolkit to deal with defiant and unrepentant hearts now that He did when He confronted King David’s defiant census. Have our hearts and ears become hardened because of our false impression of Yeshua’s character?
The Torah says that a census can not count people, only the coins they give. David knew this, and Yoab (Joab) did too. Why did David proceed after Yoab calls him out on this? What does it have to do with the strange land purchase in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem)?
This passage is very similar to Psalm 18. Psalm 18 is probably an edited version used as a praise song to encourage those who have overcome some difficulty in life. While 2nd Samuel 22 is more autobiographical and unique to David’s heart. In 2nd Samuel 1–21 David, the warrior king, the “bloody man” is shown as a precursor to Messiah’s first coming. We see the suffering king who ultimately dies. After 2nd Samuel 22, David’s life is no longer a parallel to the Messiah’s. From this point on, Solomon is the Messianic figure, full of wisdom and peace, ruling over his subjects and even bringing foreigners under his kingship without war.
The stated cause of the drought-caused three-year famine was David’s failure to deal with the wrongs done to Gibeonites by the late ruler Saul. This chapter contains a number of details that uncannily parallel the life of Yeshua.
The gore in this chapter is there for a purpose, part of the big messianic prophecy in 2nd Samuel 15–20. There are multiple stories in this chapter that are worthy of attention and note. This chapter has lots of parallelism and chiastic structure. For example, the actions of Yoab (Joab) mirror those of the high priest and of Yehudah Ish-Kariot (Judas Iscariot) in his betrayal of Yeshua (Jesus).
Ziba comes to David with some of Mephibosheth’s wealth and brought it to David on the pretext of pledging loyalty to David. Ziba tells David that Mephibosheth has purposefully refused to flee with David and stay behind to possibly gain the throne for himself. This chapter structured to highlight betrayal to show us that a particular individual, David was betrayed and that His descendant, the Messiah would be betrayed in a similar way.
Absolom’s political life begins after he retuned to Israel after his exile. He quickly gains the favor of many and he usurps David’s throne for a time. He stole the hearts of the people by claiming he just wanted to be a judge of Israel as Samuel and his predecessors had been judge. However, it is in Absolom’s heart to become king all along by crowning himself in Hebron, the city where David had become king. David leaves behind 15 people including five spies and 10 concubines.